Modern solutions for Vancouver's Old problems

Open Data and Machine Analytics bring new solutions for old problems and they help citizens speak directly to their city. We will share a series of exciting ways ProVancouver will put technology and Big Data to work for you.

Road closure, Stuck in traffic - AGAIN.

Despite our best efforts to plan trips around peak times, sometimes a road accident or another problem causes congestion. Often, though, it’s a planned road closure we just didn’t know about. Our “Silicon Valley North” is missing an opportunity to help people move around Vancouver more easily using the existing technology.

Our city has all the data we need but doesn’t share this critical information where people actually use it - on their travel apps.

ProVancouver will publish planned road closures and traffic updates with the help of integration with EComm’s 911 system, which dispatched first responders. We’ll broadcast near real-time data that anyone can integrate with their preferred location software. Data is also available for commercial trucks used by Vancouver Port Authority and cars used by Vancouver Tax industry.

The raw information will be available to apps like Google and Apple maps, car share programs like Car2Go and Modo, taxis industry and ride hailing apps like Uber and Lyft - and to all innovators and entrepreneurs who want it.

By ensuring traffic is moving smoothly on the road, we can save millions of dollars in lost productivity, spend more time with friends and families, and decrease greenhouse gas emissions.

Expensive Parking Fees

Vancouver’s PayByPhone app is easy to use but it is hampered by working with the same old pricing model as coin meters. With mobile app it doesn’t have to be that way. In addition to no Parking Fees after 6:pm and on the weekends, ProVancouver will introduce a new payment model.

Pay Only For What You UseIn the new system, drivers will park their car, scan a barcode on the meter with mobile app and walk off. This will start charging. When the driver comes back, they scan the barcode again, and the app charges only for minutes used.

Variable Parking RateElectronic payments also open up exciting new possibilities for variable parking fees. ProVancouver will use variable pricing, charging less for spots at off-peak times. Rates will also start low and increase with time. 2 hours rate will remain same as today but for shorter duration users will be charged lower rate, creating a natural incentive to leave the spot quickly so it can be shared efficiently.

Free Parking for PatientsLast thing patients rushing to the hospital in an emergency want is having to deal with parking cost. It is also costly when patients is triaged as low risk, and has to sit for hours waiting their turn. ProVancouver create a new system using which hospitals staff will be able to waive off parking fees for patients.

“Free Parking” for shopping localNo more paying for a quick stop to grab your coffee at your favourite neighbourhood cafe. The new parking system will be open to local merchants and small businesses to offer free minutes or discount parking for customers.

Open dataProVancouver will make parking data available to anyone with a great idea, so together we can design the frustration out of parking.